Experience Over Things

Experience Over Things

March 11, 2017

The world is full of stuff.  Stuff takes up a lot of room and usually once people buy something, the instant gratification gained quickly fades away. That is sometimes linked to the popular idiom, “keeping up with the Joneses”, referring to the comparison to one's neighbor as a benchmark for social class or the accumulation of material goods.  At other times, it may just be changing technology.  Every day some new “gadget” that has more bells and whistles comes out and we may just convince ourselves that we need it.

Mainstream media sells stories all the time that stereotype Millennials and their older counterparts known as the Greatest Generation. There may be a few things that the Greatest Generation and Millennials don’t agree on, but one thing they do is that in the end, they would rather have lived their lives fully, with few regrets of what they have done, than to regret what they did NOT do.

The Greatest Generation- the people that pioneered the world that we live in today - have lived lives rich with adventure, whether by choice or world events. They understand that they need to continue to dream big and pursue their wildest ideas.

There’s a lot of scientific research out there that proves this theory over and over. I’m lucky because I have been told many times by people who live in our communities and have lived their lives fully that life is short, so we should get out there and experience it.  A great example is the 94 year-old woman who sky-dived out of an airplane last year, and said, “I can’t believe I did it! Maybe I should go again to make sure I did.”

All of us are happier, more engaged and more inspired in life when we are pursuing a goal or looking forward to an important life event.  Our lives are defined by our experiences, which truly are what make it special and interesting.  We should stop buying more things that need dusting or upkeep, and start adding things that bring long-term happiness and value to our lives or at the very least create some great memories.

Whether you’re from the Greatest Generation, a Millennial or somewhere in between, live a life filled with passion and find the “magic” in each day.